The row between George Russell and Max Verstappen over their grid penalty in Qatar has flared up further ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Thursday.
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner commented last week: “I think the penalty was more due to George’s ‘hysterical behaviour’.”
“But it increased Max’s motivation to win this race and gave him a good start at the start.”
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff strongly disagreed with Horner’s personal criticism of Russell’s state of mind, calling it “crossing the line.”
“This is an argument between George and Max, I wouldn’t want to get involved in that,” Wolff said at a press conference in Yas Marina on Thursday. “But if the other team boss calls George hysterical, then that’s where the line is crossed for me.”
“He has no qualifications in psychology, and he uses that word. How dare he comment on my driver’s mental state?” Wolff added.
Wolff also likened Horner to a “barking little terrier” for allowing Verstappen to do whatever he wants at Red Bull.
“As a team boss, you have to be a sparring partner for your drivers. You have to offer more nuanced approaches rather than thinking everything is 100% right or 100% wrong,” Wolff said.
“Sometimes you have to let something be 51/49 or 70/30. So there’s always another side.”
“Christian is like a puppy terrier who feels the need to say things all the time, and he’s not doing his job as a team boss. It’s a really poor approach,” Wolff concluded.
